This control device is able to be configured by means of near-field communication so that a person can be identified, wherein in particular the differentiation can implemented between passenger and driver or the driver can be recognized.
It is to be ensured hereby that particular actions or interventions with equipment, e.g. the selecting of a drive position in an automatic gearbox, can only be carried out by the is driver.
A corresponding control device is known from DE 43 01 160 C2, in which the driver's seat and the passenger's seat are marked by a specific signal. In this known case, only the frequency of the signal is different and is allocated explicitly to the driver's seat or to the passenger's seat.
The marking signal is applied to the person situated on the seat via the seat frame or a suitable coupling surface. The actuating- or operating element is additionally configured as a signal receiver. In the case of an actuation of the actuating- or operating element, the body of the person forms a signal path for the marking signal. With the aid of the specific signal frequency, the operating element recognizes the person who is acting and can trigger or prevent corresponding actions.
Both the application of the marking signal and also its transmission is subject to great fluctuations. The signal level at the receiving element on the actuating side or operating element side can vary completely by a factor of 200. This is due, for example, to what clothing a person is wearing, whether possibly a seat cushion is being used on the vehicle seat or whether the person who is acting—for example in winter—is wearing gloves.
In the case of the known control device, a decision is made on the basis of the signal strength detected in the receiving element whether an actuation is present by the person. With the fluctuations of the signal strength described above, such a solution is not satisfactory, because it is only possible with a comparatively small degree of accuracy to establish a threshold for the “signal valid/signal invalid” decision.